Dr Graham was a rather stern and straight-talking Scottish GP who attended to the medical crises of the residents of Weatherfield in the early 1960s following the retirement of Dr. Tinsley to Bournemouth. A wry humour combined with a common sense approach to problems went a long way in enabling him to deal with patients such as Ena Sharples.
Dr Graham took over the surgery in early 1961. One of his earliest patients was Albert Tatlock, who was undergoing a check-up following a recent collapse. Three months later, Albert took up drinking stout at the Rovers Return based on Dr Graham's advice that it "wouldn't do any harm". Upon hearing the tale, Jack Walker commented that he'd have to send the doctor a box of cigars that Christmas!
The doctor went on several call-outs to 9 Coronation Street during Linda Cheveski's pregnancy with Paul. In the first instance, Linda fainted causing Ivan Cheveski to call Dr Graham. The doctor examined Linda and told the Cheveskis that it was just over-excitement. He next visited when Linda fell down the stairs, and caused relief all round when he announced that mother and baby were unharmed. Having flattered Elsie Tanner with compliments on his earlier house call, after finishing with Linda, Dr Graham took her mother to one side and diagnosed her with having too much vitality, though his words only resulted in befuddlement on Elsie's part.
Dr Graham also got on the bad side of Ena Sharples when he confirmed that Ena had not broken her ankle as she insisted but only twisted it, so therefore she could be moved out of the Glad Tidings Mission Hall. Ena accused Leonard Swindley of paying off the doctor. Later, when Ena came to Dr Graham's surgery demanding a prescription for her alleged bronchitis and refused to be examined, the doctor gave in but insulted her about her "slipped tongue". The following June, Ena was referred to a convalescent home in Southport by Dr Graham.
In August 1961, Dr Graham panicked when he misplaced a box of sleeping pills while on a call-out to 3 Coronation Street to tend to Nancy Leathers, who had suffered a heart attack. The box was found by schoolgirl Lucille Hewitt who swallowed a pill before the box was recovered.
Later that year, Dr Graham was called to 5 Coronation Street to check over Esther Hayes for the flu and ordered her to stay in bed for three or four days.
Annie Walker often consulted Dr Graham and had a regular prescription for sleeping pills from him. In March 1962, when Jack suffered a collapse behind the bar, Annie was convinced that it was serious and made Jack see Dr Graham the next morning. Jack did so and was cleared by the doctor; he'd only overeaten. This only caused Annie to worry more as she was convinced that Jack was lying to spare her feelings. Eventually Annie went to the surgery herself to get the "truth" from Dr Graham - and blamed Jack for the resulting humiliation.
In June of that year, his patient was Christine Hardman who'd been successfully talked down from the roof of Elliston's Raincoat Factory by Ken Barlow, having contemplated suicide. Dr Graham attended to her at 13 Coronation Street that evening and administered a strong sedative and gave her a tonic, which Christine described to her friends Sheila Birtles and Doreen Lostock the following morning as "horrible green muck".
In May 1963, Dr Graham was on an absence from the surgery when Annie Walker complained to Jack that his replacement hadn't renewed her sleeping pill prescription.
- Dr Graham did not appear after Episode 89 (18th October 1961) due to the Equity actors' strike but continued to be mentioned.